Tucker Peak Ski Resort has been hit with a series of
burglaries. The county sheriff grudgingly invites Lt.
Joe Gunther's newly formed and underappreciated
Vermont Bureau of Investigation (VBI) team to
investigate the latest burglary; it included a watch
worth twenty thousand dollars. The sheriff has had
zero luck in finding the burglars since he has
dedicated most of his time and resources to helping
the resort deal with environmental protesters who are
unhappy with the resort using pond water for
snowmaking and for wanting to expand the ski resort.

The VBI was formed to assist with major
investigations. The benefit of using the unit is that
the VBI works behind the scenes and never takes credit
for solving cases. The downside for the unit is they
don't receive any public recognition for their hard
work. Approaching citizens and saying "we're with the
VBI" gets them snickers, questioning looks, or a quick
dismissal.

Members of the VBI feel that looking into a burglary
is not the best way to use their talents. However,
their burglary case quickly turns into hard work when
their prime suspect's girlfriend ends up dead and a
burglary victim is savagely beaten. Determining that
the burglaries are an inside job allows the Lieutenant
and his coworker Sammie Martens to go undercover at
the resort as a maintenance man and ski instructor,
respectively.

Spunky and determined to prove herself with each
assignment, Sammie jumps at the opportunity to do
undercover work and is quite satisfied with her
bleached hair and quick learning ability on the slope.
Her somewhat significant other (neither easily admits
to being in a relationship) and coworker, grumpy yet
perceptively intelligent one-armed Willy Kunkle, has
trouble dealing with Sammie looking so great and
having so much fun.

Gunther runs into a detective at Tucker Peak one
evening and has to wonder what else is happening at
the resort. More burglaries and a few random acts of
vandalism on the slopes keep the VBI constantly moving
and questioning what is really going on. Tucker
Peak's Board of Directors wants answers yet doesn't
help with the investigation. They are applying their
best public relations efforts to keep the protesters
calm while going about with their renovation and
expansion of the resort.
The environmental protesters, named the Tucker
Protection League (TPL), are lead by Gunther's
significant other, Gail Zigman. The two have a
somewhat long-distance relationship and it's hard to
talk about work when they are seemingly on opposing
sides. Gail is able to find a way to stay true to her
organization and help Joe with the investigation by
talking with another member of the TPL who actually
has answers. Unfortunately he isn't willing to share
what he knows.

Tucker Peak isn't predictable, nor is its outcome. It's
interesting to note that Sammie Martens and Willie Kunkle are strong characters and could easily have
their own stories. Mayor's thirteenth Joe Gunther
mystery, Sniper's Wife, is due in October 2002. It
strongly features Willie instead of Joe, but Joe and
Sammie are included to assist Willie with a case that
takes him out of Vermont to New York City.

Mayor brings a Vermont flavor to his books with his
direct and thoughtful prose. He's writing about an
area he is very familiar with and it allows the reader
to get a true sense of Vermont. Tucker Peak takes
place in the winter, and with the amount of snow and
the residents who like to hide away in their mountain
homes, it make you wish you were reading in front of a
fire.

It isn't necessary to have read any of the previous
Joe Gunther mysteries to enjoy Tucker Peak.
Previous books will help with understanding the
regular characters' backgrounds, but each novel is
enjoyable on its own.